Hot News Of The Day BVO and Some Healthy Alternatives

About BVO (Brominated Vegetable Oil)

It's been found that Pepsico, Inc. has been using a flame retardant (BVO) in their Gatorade and other beverages.  BVO is patented as a flame retardant. 

 This was brought to light when a 15 year girl started a petition for Pepsico to remove the BVO  from Gatorade.  The company said that it will remove it from the Gatorade but not their other beverages like Fanta orange, Squirt, Sunkist Peach and Pineapple, and Fresca.

Studies show that when BVO is used in drinks it prevents the oil form separating from the ingredients in the drink.  The side effects are numerous.  They range from acute irritability, memory loss, depression, to the loss of peripheral vision and many more health issues when consumed over time.   BVO is banned in Japan and the European Union but the US uses it  in 10% of our drinks.

So, I would like to share some healthy alternatives if you are interested in avoiding these drinks.  Water of course is the best for you and it should be what you consume the most through the day.  But if you want a little flavor from time to time try making your own ice tea.  You can put it in a bottle if you're on the go or don't want to buy that soda at work.  There are so many herbal teas to choose from.  You can also make some freshly squeezed orange juice or make apple juice if you have a juicer.  About three to four apples is enough for one glass.  

I love to blend some berries (strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and even a little raspberries)  with pineapple or apple juice with a little ice for a fruit smoothie.  You can also add yogurt to it to make a traditional smoothie.  Here is a recipe you can try.

Multi Fruit Smoothie

2 cups of Greek vanilla yogurt 

1 cup of berries of your choice

1 cup frozen peach slices

1 can unsweetened pineapple chunks, drained and frozen

1/2 cup of pineapple juice

Place all ingredients into your blender and blend until smooth, scraping down sides as needed.  ENJOY

Please feel free to share your drink recipes!